I don’t remember exactly when I realized fast fashion was bad. I don’t remember one documentary or conversation with a friend that opened my eyes to it. I think it happened gradually over time, and part of that probably was because I tried to ignore it.
I was in middle school in the heyday of Charlotte Russe, high school in the heyday of Forever 21, and college in the heyday of H&M. Fast fashion has always existed around me, and I’ve had friends with varying levels of interest in the issue—friends who could care less about the ethics of shopping fast fashion, and friends who actively try (and even succeed!) at removing it from their wardrobe.

As I got older, the price tags on some fast fashion shrank. Shein, with clothing cheaper than a cup of coffee, became one of the largest online retailers. It’s one of the only fast fashion retailers I haven’t shopped at.
I’m not sure exactly why. Yes, it has the lowest possible rating on Good On You, an organization that rates brands on their treatment of the planet, people, and animals. But that’s only a fraction lower than the rating of H&M, and the same as Zara, another store I’ve shopped at.
It certainly has a worse reputation, and maybe that’s why I’ve stayed away. But I think it’s also because it’s unfamiliar to me—I know my size at H&M. I’ve been shopping there since I was 12. It’s nostalgic to me.
There isn’t much good I can say about Shein, but there are fast fashion brands that have inherently good qualities about them that I’ve shopped at—take Aerie. They were an early adopter of showcasing inclusive models, sizes, and styles. I can’t say the same for many slow fashion brands.
But I still feel guilty when I shop fast fashion for a multitude of reasons. It’s bad for the planet, and these companies aren’t transparent about paying fair wages. Because of this, I’ve gone looking for more ethical brands, and I’ve found few and far between that I like, but many more I’ve tried and didn’t like—buying an item, wearing it a couple times, and then never wearing it again. Is that just as bad for the planet?
The way I’ve really tried to reduce my fast fashion consumption has been shopping secondhand.
I started shopping secondhand when I was in high school. My original intentions had nothing to do with being more sustainable or ethical, and everything to do with the fashion itself. I wanted to be original, and to express that originality through clothing. And while now I certainly know more about the sustainable and ethical benefits of shopping secondhand, I still do it because I love expressing originality.
While there are only a few ethical clothing brands I’ve found where I’ve really loved the fit and style, I’ve scored some secondhand clothing from brands I love at thrift stores. It’s way more work, but often just as cheap (or cheaper). Even if the brand is fast fashion, when it’s secondhand, it doesn’t contribute to the fast fashion problem because it’s secondhand, right?
My closet now is an array of thrifted, fast, and ethical fashion, and my most worn pieces come from all three categories. Is it okay to shop fast fashion if it’s a piece I love for years and years, wearing dozens of times?
I’m not sure, and in an effort to both shop more ethically and have some more unique pieces in my closet, one of my new year’s goals is to spend 50% of my clothing budget on secondhand pieces. So far, I’ve spent 20% on secondhand pieces—not off to a great start, but the year is still young and there’s time to get back on track.
So I want to hear from you—do you still shop fast fashion? If so, how do you feel about it? And what are your favorite slow fashion brands?

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Intentional spending in my closet
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